The present invention relates to the medical field, namely to training devices for teaching emergency aid techniques for people with traumas and sudden cessation of heart operation and breathing caused by grave traumas: industrial and domestic, electric current injuries, traffic accidents, water accidents, knife and gunshot wounds, diseases, poisoning, etc.
At the present time, progress in the world leads invariably to an increase in situations perilous to a person""s life. Analysis shows that 60% of those people who found themselves in extreme situations could have been saved by well-timed help, but usually die due to the lack of this help. However perfect first-aid may be in the present, it is still often too late in situations of grave trauma.
In instances of external hemorrhaging, and sudden cessation of blood circulation and breathing, only 3 to 5 minutes separate the reversible state of clinical death from the irreversible brain damage and damage to other vital organs typical of biological death. Therefore, one can expect real help only from people who happen to be with an injured person at the moment of the trauma and possess elementary knowledge and skills in modern emergency and traumatologic aid. This expectation demonstrated that teaching together with the usage of special training devices would be effective in giving students the necessary theoretical knowledge and the practical skills in fulfilling the concrete techniques which are necessary in saving a person""s life.
For example, xe2x80x9cThe Compact interactive teaching system 40 with the modelxe2x80x9d (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,879), comprising a simulator for a person""s thorax and a control indicating device of the proper arrangement of the reanimator""s hands for carrying out an external cardiac massage, is well-known. However, it does not give us any possibility of perfect artificial respiration techniques. xe2x80x9cThe Anatomical model of a person for teaching artificial respiration techniquesxe2x80x9d is known (see Patent (Japan) No. 3-30871). This model has a movable thorax with and internal flexible pocket containing a sound-signaling device. The potentialities of said model are limited, however, as it only allows the perfection of an artificial respiration technique.
The training device for teaching artificial respiration and external cardiac massage techniques (see the Ambu advertising booklet, Denmark, 1992) comprises a model of a person with upper and lower extremities, and a control device fixed directly on the trunk of the model that is connected to a microcomputer with a raster display. The model has a thorax with a resilient surface. The head of the model includes removable nasooral masks and flexible pockets for protecting students against cross-contamination. There is also a pulse simulator fixed in the area of the carotid and radius arteries of the model and sensors for detecting the proper arrangement of the reanimator""s hands as well as the thorax compression intensity in respect to the external cardiac massage. Inside the model there are flexible vessels which imitate the air filling of the xe2x80x9clungsxe2x80x9d and the xe2x80x9cstomachxe2x80x9d. With the help of an air line, said cavities join to the nasooral cavity of the head. The training device is a modern teaching equipment and it insures the control of the obligatory reanimation markers.
However, the constructional peculiarities of the model do not allow one to carry out the entire complexity of emergency help techniques. It is impossible, for instance, to realize the techniques of emergency traumatologic aid in cases of external hemorrhage, pneumothorax, fractures, etc. on the model. Furthermore, the training device does not permit a large audience to take an active part in the teaching process, which comprises observing the functioning models of a person""s vital internal organs. This lack of the possibility to observe a complex picture of internal organs changing adequately in response to the actions of a student working with the model does not allow the students to understand the pathophysiological picture of a person""s terminal states and makes the greatest teaching difficulties in cases of traumatic hemorrhages and pneumontorax. Moreover, the way of protecting students against cross-contamination does not rule out the emergence of infection in the model if the removable flexible pocket is torn, and also requires making a set of removable nasooral masks for such training device which takes much time if their substitution is necessary; this is detrimental to the teaching process. In addition to this, the arrangement of the teaching process controlling device on the model distorts the external anatomy and hinders students from carrying out techniques which require pressing on the epigastric stomach area. The medical teaching system (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,345), representing the interactive system of individual teaching, run by the computer, and comprising a model of a person, a signal memory device and information reproduction displays connected to the computer, is known. Said system ensures visual teaching and, with the help of standard methods, allows testing and directing the students through the use of computer graphics, videodisks and modeling marginal devices. Said system also trains the students in reanimation aid techniques. Using modern technology, said system sharply limits its potentialities and reduces teaching effectiveness because of the lack of possibility to train the practical techniques necessary for stopping dangerous external hemorrhages, and the emergency aid needed in cases of spine injury, penetrating knife and gunshot wounds, fractures of upper and lower extremities, etc. The potentialities of said system are further limited by demonstration on the display""s screen being only outward, by the visual positions of reanimation techniques, and by the lack of demonstration of internal vital organs of an injured person changing their state adequately in response to traumatic influences and student""s actions when performing reanimation techniques. The system also does not allow fully showing a student the peculiarities of the state of an injured person in the case of respiratory obstruction by liquid foreign body, and does not permit the teaching of giving emergency aid, including electric defibrillation techniques, to a person with electric trauma. Moreover, there is no guaranteed system of preventing students from cross-contamination when training artificial respiration techniques.
The goal of the present invention is to create a training device for teaching emergency help techniques for a person in an emergency situation which could increase considerably the number of current teaching programs by carrying out accordingly to the actual time scale and which could improve the quality of the teaching process by making it maximally close to real-life conditions through the construction of a model of a human being and through a control system for the teaching process connected with said model.
This goal is achieved due to the fact that the training device for teaching emergency help techniques for a person in an emergency situation comprises a model of a person including the following units connected together so as to render possible their movement: a head unit, a neck unit, a trunk unit with upper and lower extremities and also comprises a control system for the teaching process connected with the model. According to the present invention, the control system for the teaching process is performed in the form of an anatomic display that comprises video simulators for the vital internal organs of a person and their traumas, wherein said simulators are connected to a computer. The model of a human being includes a set of simulators for the vital activity of a person""s inner organs with sensors for detecting external actions as well as video simulators for these organ""s traumas which are also connected to a computer.
The present invention allows the carrying out of the teaching process with a high degree of reliability.
It is possible to make the head unit of the model of a human being capable of being taken apart and also to provide said model with a device for protecting students against cross-contamination in the form of a removable interchangeable unit.
Said removable interchangeable unit provides complete protection for students against cross-contamination when training artificial respiration techniques on the model of a human being and reduces considerably the time needed for processing said model with disinfecting solution.
It is possible to provide the head unit of the model of a human being with a sensor for artificial respiration comprising a magnetizing pintle, placed movably in a tube connecting the nasooral cavity with the atmosphere outside the model, on which would be affixed immovably a constant magnet. On the end of said pintle under said magnet would be affixed another constant magnet. In the walls of the base tube in an occipital region of the head unit, at least one contact controlled by a magnet should be installed; this contact must be connected to a computer and interact promptly with the constant magnet fixed on the end of said pintle.
Such construction allows modeling of spontaneous and forced breathing of a person in the model with the help of electromagnetic processes and provides a possibility to have highly effective training of artificial respiration techniques on the model and, at the same time, adequate visual control of said techniques.
The head unit of the model of a human being can be reasonably provided with a device for moving forward the lower jaw. Said device must comprise an electromagnet which is installed immovably in the head unit on the frontal panel opposite the hole drilled in the panel of the immovable part of the mask and which is connected both to a control system for the teaching process and to a constant magnet fixed stiffly on the end of a staple and interacting promptly with said electromagnet. Alternatively the head unit of the model of a human being can also be reasonably provided with a sensor for moving forward the lower jaw comprising at least one mechanical contact which is installed in the head unit on the ascending branches of the lower jaw and which is connected to a computer.
Moving forward the lower jaw makes it possible to train techniques freeing upper respiratory dusts on the model by which involve providing independent control of these actions.
It is possible to install eye simulators in the head unit of the model of a human being. Each of said eye simulators comprises a body where there are at least three light filters of different contrasts situated one under another, imitating in turn an eyeball, an iris of the eye, and a wide pupil of a person""s eye. In addition, said body has one opaque light filter, imitating a narrow pupil, on the other side of which is an illuminating element connected to a computer.
Said opaque light filter allows diagnosing the state of an xe2x80x9cinjured personxe2x80x9d by observing the geometrical size of the eyes"" pupils as said pupils change in response to the reanimator""s actions.
It is reasonable to provide the head unit of the model of a human being with a sensor for turning the head unit over which comprises a constant magnet fixed immovably on the upper edge of the front wall of a cylinder of the neck unit and a contact that is controlled by a magnet installed on the frontal panel of the head unit in the lower region of the chin, and that is also connected to a computer, which interacts promptly with said constant magnet.
Said sensor provides an independent control for the effectiveness of a student""s actions when performing a technique of freeing upper respiratory ducts on the model of a human being by turning the head unit over.
The neck unit of the model of a human being can be made in the form of a hollow cylinder from harsh material, the surface of which imitates the external surface of a person""s neck, and a foundation made in the form of the concave hemisphere. In addition, the upper edge of the back wall of the cylinder is connected movably to a lower edge of the occiput of the head unit, forming a hinge which provides the possibility of sliding the front surface of the cylinder of the neck unit about the edge of the wall of the head unit in the lower region of the chin. When the head unit is not turned over, the greater part of the cylinder of the neck unit is situated in the chamber of the head unit.
Such neck unit construction allows the modeling of a maximally reliable process of turning the head over on the model, a crucial procedure of emergency help.
It is rational to provide the neck unit of the model of a human being with a sensor for turning the neck unit, which includes a constant magnet installed stiffly on the foundation of the cylinder of the neck unit and a contact that is controlled by a magnet fixed on the trunk unit opposite said magnet and that is also connected to a computer.
Said sensor for turning the neck unit provides an independent control for the effectiveness of a student""s actions when performing a technique for the removal of liquid contents from the alimentary canal and the respiratory dusts of an injured person.
The trunk unit of the model of a human being can have a tough covering wherein there is a removable unit of a chest and an abdomen comprising a common slab whereon there are two hinged tough panels joined together under which there is at least one elastically-deformed element. In addition, on said tough panels there are movably-fixed front tough panels and their surface imitates the surface of a person""s chest and abdomen.
Such trunk unit construction allows the possibility to place a complete set of simulators for the vital activity of a person and sensors for detecting external actions on the trunk unit that allow the modeling of a wide spectrum of states of an injured person and the automatic controlling of all of a student""s actions simultaneously with said student""s influences on the model.
It is possible to provide the chest unit and abdomen unit of the trunk unit with simulators for the chest functioning and the abdomen functioning. Each of said simulators comprises a constant magnet fixed immovably on the internal side of the proper front tough panel which imitates the surface of the chest or the abdomen and under which, on a proper tough panel, there is an immovably fixed electromagnet connected to a computer that interacts promptly with said constant magnet.
The trunk unit permits the removal of flexible capacities and air lines (infection incubator) from the model and, with the help of electromagnetic processes, also the modeling of both forced excursions of the front surfaces of the chest and abdomen as well as spontaneous functioning of the chest during automatic reanimation of the model of a human being.
The removable chest and abdomen unit of the trunk unit can be provided with 1) a sensor for the external heart massage, 2) a sensor for stomach decompression and 3) a sensor for excessive effort during said external heart massage. Said sensor for the external heart massage and said sensor for stomach decompression each comprise a constant magnet fixed on the internal surface of the chest or abdomen tough panel and a contact controlled by a magnet fixed immovably on the common panel, directly under said constant magnet. Said sensor for excessive effort during the external heart massage comprises a mechanical contact installed on the common panel under the tough panels of the chest and abdomen units, and the contacts are controlled by magnets and the mechanical contact is connected to a computer.
Said sensors allow respectively 1) the automatic counting of the number of heart compressions during an external heart massage, 2) the carrying out of a technique for stomach decompression which provides an adequate amount of independent control for ensuring the effectiveness of a student""s action and also 3) the recording of the degree of a student""s exerting efforts during and external heart massage.
In addition, the chest and abdomen units of the trunk unit can include a set of sensors for detecting the position of a reanimator""s hands on the front surface of the chest during an external heart massage comprising mechanical contacts which are installed on the internal tough panel directly under the front tough panel which are in the chest region, side endings of the ribs and the xiphoid process which are connected to a computer.
Said set of sensors allows the carrying out of an automatic control for the position of a reanimator""s hands during training of the external heart massage technique on the model.
It is also possible to provide the chest and abdomen unit of the trunk unit with a sensor for the position of the model when lying on its side comprising a plate, one end of which is fixed movably on the front side of the common slab and the other end is stiffly fixed a constant magnet. On both sides of said constant magnet are two contacts which are controlled by magnets, connected to a computer and interacting in turns with said constant magnet.
Said sensor permits the carrying out of an automatic control for the position of the model when a student is performing techniques of removing liquid contents and foreign bodies from the model""s respiratory ducts.
It is possible to provide the chest and abdomen units of the trunk unit with a sensor for blows to the intersapular region and a sensor for blows to the heart region. Each of said sensors comprises a body fixed in a proper place, inside which there are two constant magnets. One of said constant magnets is fixed immovably and the other is fixed so as to be capable of movement. On the external side of said body, at least one contact controlled by a magnet is installed. Said contact is connected to a computer and interacts promptly with said movable constant magnet.
Said sensor provides the possibility of training on the model of a human being the technique of freeing a foreign body from the upper respiratory ducts and the technique of recovering heart activity by mean of precardial blows of the fist to the heart region. At the same time, independent control for these actions is ensured.
It is also possible to provide the chest and abdomen units of the trunk unit with a buckle model of a waist-belt. Said model comprises a body fixed on the external side of the frontal panel that represents the surface of a person""s abdomen having an insert with a light indication device and which is capable of movement. In the walls of the said body, which limit the insert""s shifting, there are at least two mechanical contacts interacting promptly with said insert, and said light indicating device and said mechanical contacts are connected to a computer.
Such construction of said buckle model controls the state of the xe2x80x9cwaist-beltxe2x80x9d which limits the shifting of the abdomen in an injured person and which also ensures the possibility of restarting the chosen emergency aid program without moving away from the model of a human being.
It is possible to provide the extremities of the model of a human being with sensors for placing immobilized splints. Each of said sensors contains at least two mechanical contacts installed under hole drilled in the covers of both the forearm and thigh region of the model. Inside each hole, a rod is installed so as to be capable of movement. Said rod interacts promptly with a proper mechanical contact and all of said holes are connected to a computer.
Said sensors allow the training of the techniques of putting immobilized splints on the model in cases of fractures to the extremities by providing an independent control for these actions.
It is possible to provide the model of a human being with pulse simulators. Each simulator contains a body wherein there is an electromagnet connected to a computer and a constant magnet. Said electromagnet and constant magnet are separated from each other by a damping gasket. The constant magnet is connected stiffly with a rod installed freely in a hole drilled in the region of the carotid and radius arteries. In the region of the humerus and thigh arteries, the pulse simulators are combined with their corresponding sensors for artery pressing. Said sensors are comprised of a common unit which has a common casing wherein there is a movable pulse simulator under which there is a mechanical contact. One part of said contact leans against the body and another part leans against the casing. The contact is connected to a computer.
Said pulse simulators ensure a highly reliable representation of forced and spontaneous heartbeats in the model of a human being in a wide range of frequency which allows training on the model in the ability to diagnose the state of an injured person by his pulse.
The model of a human being must be provided with mechanisms for stopping external hemorrhaging in the case of a penetrating wound in the head region, the extremities or the chest. Each of said mechanisms comprises a video simulator for external hemorrhaging, installed on the appropriate part of the model, which is constructed in the form of a light filter resembling a bloody spot, under which there is an illuminating element. The model should also be provided with sensors for putting an oppressive bandage or a tourniquet on a wound. Each of said sensors is combined with its corresponding simulator and comprises a mechanical contact. The model must also be provided with sensors, comprised of mechanical contacts, for pressing the correct bleeding arteries. Said sensors are installed on these arteries according to medical demands. All said video simulators and sensors are connected to a computer.
Said video simulators allow visual representation (on the model) of life-endangering external hemorrhaging as a result of penetrating wounds. Said sensors allow the carrying out of the techniques used for stopping these hemorrhages, while at the same time, ensuring an independent control for a student""s actions.
It is possible to provide a control system for the teaching process in the form of an educational electric defibrillator connected to a computer. Said educational electric defibrillator includes a video simulator for the curve of electrocardiograms and removable electrodes, on the right side of each of which there is at least one contact controlled by a magnet. Each of said contacts interacts promptly with its respective constant magnet, which is installed on the internal side of the frontal panel of the chest and abdomen units in the heart region. On the level of a removable electrode, at least one mechanical contact is set in.
Said educational electric defibrillator ensures the possibility to diagnose the state of an xe2x80x9cinjured personxe2x80x9d by curves of electrodiograms and also to recover heart activity by carrying out the technique of electric defibrillation on the model of a human being.
An anatomical display of a control system for the teaching process contains a relief panel with compartments resembling the outlines of a person""s internal organs and areas of trauma to said internal organs, wherein there are illuminating elements in said compartments which are connected to a computer and to a sliding seat that is situated over said relief panel. Said anatomical display has pictures of a skeleton, internal organs, bloody spots at area of external hemorrhaging, and spine injuries. Said anatomical display is covered with a semitransparent screen directly under which, on said relief panel, there is an indicator of the time limit for the educational training program, which is also connected to a computer.
Said anatomical display models a human being""s vital internal organs and their traumas not only in a static mode, but also in a dynamic one. Said internal organs change their state in response to the signs of vital activity imitated in the model of a human being and in response to a student""s actions on said model. Said anatomical display also allows visual observation for ensuring the effectiveness of a student""s actions in real time.
The model of a human being can be provided with a simulator for separating a person from an electrical system in the case of an electric current injury. Said simulator includes a mechanical contact and a light indicator installed over said contact, both of which are connected to a computer. On the relief panel in the anatomical display there are video simulators for the path of the electric current as it passes through the model of a human being. Said video simulators are also connected to a computer.
Said simulator allows deeper understanding of the specific features of an electrotrauma by teaching a student how to separate an injured person from contact with the current-carrying parts of electrical equipment without exposing the student to risk.